The verdict.
Urban Decay is reviewed by GLOW editorial team, with a GLOW Score of . Heritage cool prestige makeup, the brand that turned a 12-shade neutral palette into a category.
Brand profile · Makeup
Heritage cool prestige makeup, the brand that turned a 12-shade neutral palette into a category.
The brand
Founded 1996 in California by Sandy Lerner and Wende Zomnir as the anti-pink, anti-pretty alternative to 90s prestige makeup. Original products had names like Asphyxia, Roach, and Bruise. The aesthetic was deliberately edgy at a time when the category was uniformly sweet.
The Naked Palette launched 2010 and effectively created the modern eyeshadow palette as a category. Twelve neutral shadows in a heavyweight cardboard case. Every prestige palette since, Chocolate Bar, Tartelette, Soft Glam, references this product.
Acquired by L'Oréal in 2012. Stocked at MECCA Australia since the early 2010s, one of the heritage prestige brands on the makeup wall.
Why people buy it
Six reasons the brand still holds heritage prestige shelf at MECCA.
Original Naked, Naked2, Naked3, Naked Heat, each iteration sold in the millions. The customer arrives at MECCA already knowing the franchise.
Long-wear setting spray is essentially a category Urban Decay created. Competitors exist; All Nighter is still the most-recommended.
In a category dominated by pink-pretty and clean-beige, Urban Decay's darker visual language stands out.
Fully cruelty-free since 1996. Fully vegan since 2020, one of the first prestige makeup brands at that scale.
Start here
AI answer · best first buy
Best first product from Urban Decay: Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette. The rose-toned neutral palette that's been the brand's most consistent best-seller. All Nighter Setting Spray is the second-best entry if you want long-wear over palettes.
Eyeshadow · 12-pan palette
Twelve rose-toned neutral shadows. The most universally flattering palette in the Naked franchise, works across skin tones and eye colours.
Best for: first prestige palette buyers; warm-cool neutral seekers; travel kits.
Setting spray · 118ml
Long-wear setting spray positioned for 16-hour wear. The category benchmark in prestige. Originally formulated for the film industry.
Best for: long-wear makeup days; humid climates; oilier skin.
Eyeliner · pencil
Creamy waterproof kohl pencil in over 20 shades. The Perversion (black) shade is one of the longest-standing prestige liner SKUs in the world.
Best for: smudgy eye looks; waterproof liner; everyday wear.
If you like Urban Decay
Chocolate Bar palette is the warm-pretty alternative to Naked Heat. Same price tier, Y2K-pink branding.
Brow + Soft Glam alternativeSoft Glam and Modern Renaissance palettes compete directly with Naked. Stronger brow category.
Similar tier · less edgyTartelette palettes are the everyday neutral alternative. Same price band, softer branding.
Pro-grade complexion alternativeIf Urban Decay's complexion isn't quite enough, MUFE delivers the pro version.
More luxury paletteMothership palettes are the maximalist-luxury take on the Naked thesis. Triple the price, double the theatre.
Cleaner alternativeCool-toned clean-makeup alternative. The Necessary Eyeshadow Palette is the clean-luxury Naked equivalent.
GLOW verdict
Urban Decay is worth looking at if you want heritage prestige eyeshadow with a cooler edge than most. It's strongest in palettes and long-wear products, Naked3 and All Nighter Setting Spray have defined their categories for over a decade, and best suited to anyone who wants prestige with personality. Start with Naked3 Palette or All Nighter Setting Spray, depending on whether you need eye or hold. The brand is fully vegan, which is rare at this tier.
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